It wasn't long before the bus stopped. After everyone got off, Nishikata, Takagi, Nagatoro, and Senpai met up.
Nagatoro: "Senpai? Why are you the only one here?"
Senpai immediately started fidgeting and failing to talk.
Nagatoro: "Oh? Senpai… Don't tell me…"
Nagatoro went right up on Senpai's face.
Nagatoro: "You were waiting for me?"
Senpai: "W-well yeah, I was! Yukari sent me a text, see?"
On Senpai's phone was an invitation to the party.
Nagatoro: "You were waiting for me and you were doing it to invite me to a party? You're so gross, Senpai!"
Senpai: "W-well, do you want to do it?"
Nagatoro let out one of the biggest smirks Senpai had ever seen
Nagatoro: "Of course, Senpai!"
Meanwhile, Nishikata and Takagi had already walked ahead, hand in hand.
Nishikata: "U-uh, what about you, Takagi?"
Takagi: "Hm? What about me?"
Nishikata: "You know…"
Takagi *smirking* "No, I don't. Could you explain it to me?"
Nishikata: "You always put me through so much, Takagi. Fine then. Do you want to go to the party with me?"
Takagi's smirk turned into a genuine smile as she nodded.
Takagi: "Sure, although…"
Nishikata's expression darkened at the reappearance of Takagi's smirk.
Takagi: "What are you planning to do there? You know, it would probably be pretty easy for us to sneak off from the group."
Nishikata: "W-wait! I wasn't planning anything like that!"
Takagi: "Nishikata! I just meant for food! What did you think I meant?"
Nishikata: "...Nevermind."
Takagi: "What did you think?"
Nishikata: "Your hand is really soft."
Takagi: "Hm? I didn't quite catch that."
Nishikata: "I… like holding your hand. It feels really nice."
That did it for Takagi. Her smile burst open uncontrollably and she couldn't contain her blush. Unfortunately for Nishikata, he was too busy averting his gaze and blushing to notice.
Nishikata: "Ah! It's not… I mean…"
Takagi: *recomposed* "No. I like your hand too. It's nice and muscly~"
Nishikta's blush increased tenfold.
Nishikata: "Sh-shut up."
Takagi: "mhm!"
Takagi leaned onto Nishikata, meriting a blush and an exasperated sigh.
Nishikata: "U-uh, Takagi? Not that I want you to leave, but we need to… You know."
Takagi: "Yep. Hey, after we get all of our stuff home, do you want to come over?"
Nishikata: "eh?!"
Takagi: "What's this? Too embarrassed to come over to your girlfriend's house after school?"
Nishikata: "N-no."
Takagi: "Then I'll see you there, Nishy-chan!"
Nishikata: "Hey!"
Takagi: "What, you didn't like it?"
Nishikata: "It's not that-"
Takagi: "Then I'll see ya later!"
Takagi turned back with a mischievous grin and ran off.
###
Takagi: "Gahh! We're actually dating! I said it, I said it!"
Takagi was now kicking her mattress with her feet while yelling into her pillow. She was so preoccupied with thinking about Nishikata, she'd changed into her sleepwear and didn't hear Nishikata come in.
Nishikata: "R-Rie? Are you home?"
Takagi: "Oh! Yeah, why don't you come upstairs? We can hang out in my room! I'm on my bed waiting for you!"
Nishikata: "Eh?!"
Takagi: *chuckling* I might be able to use this to my advantage… Too bad I couldn't dress up for him, though…
As much as Takagi was trying to keep up a strong front, she was truly ecstatic. Nishikata on the other hand…
Nishikata: "H-hello there, Rie…"
Nishikata shuffled around on the spot, slightly pink and looking up and towards the right, avoiding Takagi's gaze.
Takagi: "So, Yuki? What do you want to do? You're all alone with your girlfriend in her bedroom, so what do you think that you should do?"
Nishikata: "Ah! Nothing! Uh… uh… Smash!"
Takagi's face went bright red for a moment, although Nishikata was too busy trying to clarify what he'd meant by that.
Takagi: *ahem* "Yes, I think that another challenge is in order, wouldn't you?"
Nishikata: "Hm… yeah, I think it is."
Takagi went and got the switch and before long, they were in a game.
Takagi: "By the way, there are no rules in this. Whoever wins 3 games wins, no matter how they win. Deal?"
Nishikata: "Let's do this!"
Takagi got an early lead, but Nishikata gradually began battling back as the match went on. Eventually, they were both on one life and a high percentage.
Nishikata: I've got you now, Rie! Just one more-
Takagi: "Hey, Yuki?"
Takagi's eyes were closed and she was right up against Nishikata's face. She waited, not moving at all.
Nishikata: "Gah!"
Nishikata scrambled backwards, hitting a bookshelf, and getting hit by a book. Takagi tentatively opened an eye and instinctively put her hand to her mouth.
Takagi: "A-are you oki?!"
Nishikata: "Yep! Never better! I'm pretty tough, so… yeah. A-anyways…"
Takagi quickly grabbed her controller and sent Nishikata's character careening into the unforgiving void.
Takagi: "I win again, Yuki."
Nishikata let out a sigh but quickly recovered with a smug grin.
Nishikata: "Fine. Then the next challenge is a push-up contest."
The 2 of them headed into the basement and got into a push-up position.
Takagi: "Are you sure that you want to do this?"
Nishikata: "Yep! First one to collapse loses!"
Takagi: "Really… I should probably let you know that you should probably look away."
Nishikata didn't like the smirk on Takagi's face at all.
Nishikata: "Won't you tickle me or something the second that I look away?"
Takagi was vaguely surprised at having her mind read for once but quickly rebounded with another smirk.
Takagi: "It's not that… My shirt is pretty loose, so if I get unlucky, you might see under it~"
Nishikata went red, tried to pivot to the side, was poked in the ribs by Takagi, and promptly collapsed.
Nishikata: "Dammit, Rie!"
Takagi: "That's pretty unfortunate, Yuki-kun. You only have one more game~"
Nishikata: "Huh? Why?"
Takagi: "I wanted to just spend time with you with no contests."
Nishikata's face lit up, but he got up and lay down on his back. Takagi responded by lying down beside him. And staring at him, causing him to look the other way, completely red. Steam began to fill the room, fogging up a mirror on the wall.
Takagi: "How are you doing, Ni-shi-ka-ta?"
Nishikata: "I'm good. Yep, n-never better."
The 2 of them lay side by side for a few more minutes, saying nothing. Eventually, Nishikata rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. When he did this, he inadvertently knocked his hand into Takagi's.
Nishikata: "Ah! Sorry-"
Takagi: "It's fine."
Both of them were red, although Nishikata was far redder than Takagi, as Takagi grabbed hold of Nishikata's hand.
Takagi: "Hey, Yuki?"
Nishikata: "Y-yeah?"
Takagi: "If you can kiss me on any part of my body, you win."
The more Nishikata thought about it, the redder he became.
Takagi: I… should've thought that through.
Takagi, having just realized the full extent of what she had just offered had turned away from Nishikata, hiding her completely red face.
Nishikata: "A-are you sure?"
Takagi: *attempting to smirk* "...Just don't do anything too lewd, ok, Nishikata?"
Takagi finally regained her composure and turned back to face Nishikata with her eyes closed and a gentle smile. The moment Nishikata rolled over to face her, his face began to sweat and his entire body started becoming redder and redder until he began to lean in.
Nishikata: "A-and you're completely sure you want this, Takagi?"
Takagi simply gave him a quick nod, desperate to avoid letting him see her blush. Seeing this, Nishikata fully committed. Just a few centimetres away, Takagi put her arms around him as he awkwardly did the same to her. A few moments later…
*chuu*
A light kiss to the forehead came from Nishikata…
*chuu*
And a peck on the nose came from Takagi. As the 2 of them lay there, their foreheads zero centimetres apart, the world began to fade away as time seemed to stand still. After a few minutes, Nishikata moved away.
"W-we should probably get ready for dinner! It's pretty late now…"
Takagi quickly regained her composure and rebounded to her feet.
"Yep! And to think that you'd refuse to leave for dinner… I guess I'll indulge you tonight~"
"H-hey! I… can't… cook for my girlfriend?"
Nishikata was averting his gaze and his cheeks were shining, but Takagi was smiling like she'd never smiled before. Here was Nishikata, saying something like that without her even trying to get him to say it!
"Of course you can! How about this? I'll make the side dishes and you can make some fried rice."
"Y-yeah. Sounds good."
They ate like kings that night.
